Did you ever meet anyone who was good at everything they tried?

Well I would have to say flagpole fits in this category. He is a funny poster, decent runner, investor and father. If memory serves correctly he was also a good basketball player. I just get the sense that everything he tries is better than average.

Sure, lots of people.

It's been my experience that while some people who actually are superstars seem to have few other talents (perhaps because they've been so driven to develop their one major strength), a lot of general overachievers fit the category of seeming to be above average at a large number of things, especially when the pool is fairly small like in high school.

For one thing, general intelligence and a reasonable amount of self discipline can translate into a variety of different abilities - many people who are good at math are also capable of learning music. It's also self selecting in a few ways - once one is above average in two things, everything else he touches turns to gold in other people's minds. For example, if a good athlete is also a good student, people will be impressed if he can play an instrument and knows a foreign language, even if he's not really all that good at the instrument or the language - he'll be seen as better at those things than he actually, purely on reputation as being super talented. Also, once one is good at multiple things, it's easier to downplay or never do things that one isn't good at and not have to risk trying new things that one may not be good at, whereas a person who hasn't found any particular talent might keep trying and failing at new activities, hoping to find his niche.

Am I allowed to count myself?

But seriously. I've met plenty of people like this

My daughter has been praised at every sport she has done. She has won four different sports state championships. I think that might qualify. The thing she is best at, is working hard. You asked so don't criticize me now for telling..........

I meet plenty of people who have a number of skills. It seems like it is rare though to come across someone who is seriously accomplished (i.e. professional level or close to it) in more than one or two things.

Had a buddy that was disgustingly good at a lot of different things. It became a running joke after awhile.

Good basketball player, I always thought he could play at a DIV 1 school...maybe off the bench...or at least make the team if he dedicated himself....great great handles and shooter. Could run a pool table. Could do a backflip off of anything. Could do a backflip with like a twist in it, don't know wtf you call that. Helluva dancer. Great talker, sold used cars for awhile was good at that. Seen him get in a few fights, was a beast. Seemed like everything we did either he was really good at it or he picked it up pretty quickly.

Not much of a runner though. But would last with me on 3 mile runs @ about 7minute pace.

Buddy in high school was 1st team all state in soccer. 2nd team all-state in basketball. Best defensive infielder I've ever seen.

He played football one season. First time he touched the ball he ran a kickoff back for a touchdown.

Kid dominated you in everything athletically, but the kid really wasn't all that athletic looking. 5'11 skinny white boy - couldn't really jump - wasn't that fast, but he was just damn good at everything.

I watched him run a 10:12 two mile in untied running shoes for a soccer time trial. He would have easily been our number one xc guy if he would have trained.

He'd take you in any sport, then crush you in chess or calculus, and before you'd know it he'd have your girl friend sitting in his lap (kid about the last part, very upstanding dude).

Jacksonville wrote:

I am not talking superstar but considerably better than average at everything they try....like basketball, running, math, foreign languages, music, business, etc.

Do you know anyone like this?

YES YES YES.

So, i was a camp counselor at a summer camp. The camp had a foreign exchange program, where foreigners would come and do camp stuff all summer. One year, theres this french guy who comes over. name is Colas. He's a bit taller than normal, very muscular, but not in a gross way. He way just lithe and cut. Blonde, wavy hair and these piercing blue eyes like a husky. Gorgeous.

For sports, as a middle schooler he enjoyed running with his dog. So he went out for a few cross country races. Won them all, and eventually joined the high school team. He ended up running 16:3x at nationals placing top 15 i think. But then his dog got old, and he couldnt train with her anymore so he stopped. He was great at soccer, any trick you explained he could do it. When we played dodgeball people would run away, he had an arm like a cannon. Taught himself to windsurf better than anyone after a week of picking it up.

He had think incredible work ethic, he balanced the cmps budget for a week when we were tight for extra ice cream for the kids. We cleaned up before/after the session so the camp would be tidy for the new kids. Me and him cleaned out a cabin and he hauled a mattress and did 75% of the work. Not because i was lazy, but because he did everything perfectly without trying.

The ladies loved him, he got with the hottest staff and they said he was amazing. Seriously though he was good at everything.

Biggest man bone r for him, ever

Rudy Miller - went to camp with him. He hated everything, but won at everything he tried. He even won the lousy game of horseshoes we used to play after dinner.

My boyfriend seems to have a lot of talent for many things. He hates road running, only likes x-c, but this summer we did a half marathon on the roads and he ran it in 1:25 even though he never runs farther than 5 miles in training (AND he's 45 years old!). He also used to play professional baseball, is the best hockey player on his team, and whenever we go to the driving range, he hits his balls so far, most of them hit the fence on the opposite end of the range. I mean it's ridiculous.

He also has a physics degree, is brilliant at anything math or science related, and has an exceptional eye for art. He's also very well travelled and knows more about world geography than anyone I've ever met.

But the best thing about him is that he's very humble and never "blows his own horn". He is one of the top x-c runners in Canada, but most people wouldn't know if I didn't tell them.

Now, if I could only get the guy to clean up after himself, he'd be perfect! LOL

Did you ever know somebody who was good at everything when they were young, but when they grew up they turned out to be a loser or fell on hard times?

Not good at everything but God I watched a documentary on Bobby Fischer yesterday, talk about genius burning out and destroying a bright future.....

I am bad at math (beyond basic Algebra), and I'm a horrible artist...perhaps the worst person at drawing that I've ever met. Probably the thing I'm the goodest at is grammar.

^This

My former room mate D1 All American swimmer 200m butterfly. 4.0 GPA...genius by definition. Outgoing personality, good looking guy and the chicks were crazy about him, super humble, performed tons of volunteer community service because he felt he needed to "give back". At 6'5" he was a great basketball, football and baseball player - could also run a 16:30 5K and played piano. Could fix any TV, stereo, computer or car - actually soldering if necessar, not swapping boards. Excellent writer - had some short stories published in regional type publications. Bizarre.

He's now an orthopedic surgeon. I felt like a total tard next to him.

lots of interesting stories here that i enjoyed reading.

if kindness isn't on the list, then it's all for naught. and if kindness is on the list, then the rest doesn't really matter.

what was the orthopedic surgeons name

No, I have not met any anyone who is good at everything they try but I have met many people who are good at many things. I have also met a few people who only seem to be good at a few things.

Jacksonville wrote:

I am not talking superstar but considerably better than average at everything they try....like basketball, running, math, foreign languages, music, business, etc.

Do you know anyone like this?

Chalky Studebaker.

'Cept that time he cheated off Doug's exam.